1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to construction of walls and more specifically to interlocking blocks for construction, which allows a wall to be constructed with less skilled labor.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Interlocking blocks for building walls are well known in the art. There are at least two patents that disclose interlocking blocks for constructing walls. U.S. Pat. No. 868,838 to Brewington discloses a concrete building block. The Brewington patent includes a concrete building block having a Maltese extension on one end and a Maltese slot on the other end that is sized to receive the Maltese extension. Two cross bars are formed in a bottom of each concrete building block that are sized to be received by cavity in a top of the concrete building block.
One drawback to the Brewington patent is that the Maltese extension and Maltese slot are subject to stress cracking, due to the sharp corners. Settling of a building will causes the concrete building blocks to move relative to each other and produce stress at the sharp corners of the Maltese slots and extensions. Further, the Brewington patent does not disclose transverse webs. Traverse webs improve the ability of a concrete block to act as a fire wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,209 to Schwartz discloses interlocking blocks and construction system comprising said blocks. The Schwartz patent includes a monolithic masonry building block capable of controlled alignment in vertical and horizontal directions and provides a wall structure having vertical and horizontal grooves which can be filled with a bonding agent.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for interlocking blocks for construction, which require less skilled labor to construct a wall than that of the prior art; may be retained relative to each other with a bonding agent other than mortar, may be dry stacked; and include in-line blocks, corner blocks, end blocks and offset blocks.